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25. The People of the State of New York v. Russell Jones (1999)

Crime: Making Terrorist Threats, Possessing a Narcotic With Intent to Sell, Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree, Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Fifth Degree, Aggravated Unlicensed Operation of a Motor Vehicle in the Second Degree, Unlawful Possession of Marijuana, Driving by Unlicensed Operator, Disobeying Traffic Signal LightVerdict: VariesSentence: Sentenced to serve two to four years at Rikers Island in New York; entered a psychiatric/drug rehab facility.

ODB spent much of his life in and out of legal trouble: second-degree assault charges and attempted robbery in 1993, failure to pay $35,000 in child support in 1997, attempted assault to his wife, shoplifting, criminal threatening, attempted murder, and weapons possession in 1998.

In January 1999, there was also his shootout with the NYPD. A month later, in February 1999, he was arrested for driving without a license and for wearing a bulletproof vest as a felon. Then crack cocaine possession. Then marijuana possession. Then more crack. There were arrests for terrorist threats. At trial, he called a prosecutor a “sperm donor.”

Clearly going through some difficult issues with drugs, ODB was sent to a treatment facility. He escaped in October 2000, went on the run, and was arrested a month later outside of a McDonalds in Philadelphia, when a crowd gathered looking for autographs. After being extradited to Manhattan, he was sentenced to two to four years in prison.

This year, thanks to the Freedom of Information Act, his FBI file was released, which revealed that the entire Wu-Tang Clan had been investigated as part of an attempt to draw up a RICO case for murder, drug dealing and gun-running.